| The Detroit News
The kid cats are coming on strong, and the rest of baseball is taking notice.
The Tigers have five prospects in the top 31 of Baseball America’s preseason, which was released Monday (subscribers only).
Detroit’s list is led by first baseman Spencer Torkelson, the slugger who was taken No. 1 overall in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft. He checks in at No. 5, up from No. 8 at the end of 2020.
Baseball America calls him a “potential franchise icon who anchors the middle of the lineup.”
Left-hander Tarik Skubal and right-hander Casey Mize, who made their major-league debuts in the shortened 2020 season, check in at No. 20 and 28, respectively, Skubal up from 30 and Mize down from 11.
Right-hander Matt Manning is at No. 30, down from No. 15, but still called a “potentially front-line starter” by Baseball America. Manning was shut down in 2020 because of a forearm strain, but he seems likely to be ready for the start of the 2021 season, possibly at Triple-A Toledo or Double-A Erie.
Riley Greene, the 20-year-old outfielder, is ranked No. 31, up from No. 50.
Baseball America also released its top 10 for each organization: No. 6 in the Tigers’ system is third baseman Isaac Pardes, No. 7 is catcher Dillon Dingler, No. 8 is outfielder Daz Cameron, No. 9 is outfielder Daniel Cabrera and No. 10 is right-hander Alex Faedo.
There are injury concerns for Cameron (wrist) and Faedo (Tommy John surgery).